Round 1:

Greninja vs. Quinn

As Greninja was in Tunnel A, his match graphic played first, making ninjitsu hand symbols, spurting water as he did. After a quick highlight package, he was shown standing on one set of webbed toes on the interview chair.

"So…um... what do you think of Quinn?"

"I do not know. He wears the iconography of his sensei, but is he as good! We shall see?" sneered the French-accented Pokemon.

"Okay, who are you looking forward to fighting?"

"Lucario and Miss Trainer. We have been training together, and it shall be interesting to see what happens when money and glory are on ze line, oui?"

"Sure? Alright, that's all!"

In a puff of dew, Greninja disappeared.

As Quinn's graphic played, him dawning a simple fighting stance, Ryuji elbowed Makoto, "I wonder how he's holding up?"

"Who, Quinn?" whispered Makoto, "For his sake, I hope he's not as anxious as he's been in training."

Ryuji dismissively waved off the comment, "Dude! I'll betcha he's fine!"

Tunnel B

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, Breath out

Quinn sat cross-legged, his eyes shut, his arms extended in a yoga pose. An Alloy running by got a message from Shulk "Quinn Marmaduke video package in 3, 2, 1."

Quinn briefly wondered what his video package could be? His match with Matt perhaps? Hart passing the torch?

Oh God, the interview rang Quinn's inner voice.

Shooing away the pang of panic he felt, Quinn meditated deeper. The interview seemed like an eternity ago. What had he said?

Smashers' Box

On the big TV, Quinn sat straight, nervously fidgeting in the interview chair

"So, what do you think of Greninja?" Nikki pondered.

Quinn flashed a big smile, "His…um…Master Hart's match with Greninja from the last tournament was required homework."

The Mii Brawler cleared his throat.

"Or, all of them were, I should say. But Greninja's battle was my favorite to study. So, it's an honor to fight him."

"Alright, who're you looking forward to fighting."

"Well, other than DLC, I just want to win, and surpass my master, to prove to the people out there that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything."

"A noble goal indeed! Thanks for the interview."

"No problem! Quinn blurted, saluting the eponymous interviewer.

"Go Quinn," whispered Rosalina.

Tunnel B

"Man, I really had to pee after that," Quinn remembered.

Quinn shook his errant thoughts away just as Cranky and 9-Volt's jibber-jabber played over the PA. Cranky made a crack, calling Quinn a "puppet for some goober," Quinn raised an eyebrow. What did the crabby old man know about Miis that he didn't? Futaba predicted Greninja quickly.

And you've seen me train! C'mon! Quinn protested inwardly.

More non-sense between the commentary team Quinn didn't care to listen to, and just like that, the heroic trumpets blared over the speakers.

Quinn sighed Yep, that's his theme

Center stage

Greninja stood atop the partition, striking a meditative pose. In a spray of water, he disappeared, reappearing in center stage, never once taking his eyes off of Tunnel B.

Tunnel B

"Quinn Marmaduke entrance in 3, 2, 1!"

Loud, rapid synth keyboard keys played over the speaker, progressing into a calm, progression. Quinn stepped through the corner, the theme song of the Wii Shop, the most popular shopping mall on Wuhu Island, reminded him of simpler, calmer times.

His heart thumped at a million miles an hour, the calming music was in direct odds with the panic he felt as the crowd rabidly announced their emotions, pleasure, and displeasure in equal measure. Quinn looked up. As far up as he could see, creatures of all shapes and sizes pounded on the force field along with their cheers and jeers. Quinn looked as far as he could see. The stadium expanded for seemingly hundreds of miles, but center stage seemed further away. than that.

Then, the emotions of the crowd overwhelmed him, infecting his psyche. He was one of them now.

Sinking to his knees, he began to pound the floor with an open palm, then slapping his face, and charging to center stage. As soon as he was within arm's reach of Greninja, Mills Frames teleported through the floor. The Fighting Wireframe's presence was weirdly authoritarian, yet calming.

"And now," Mills began, "The following contest is a First Round Match in the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Tournament! The winner of this match will face Sans in Round 2!"

Don't remind me, Quinn thought, nervously biting his lip.

Despite Quinn's anxieties, Mills continued on with Greninja's introduction.

"HE IS GRENINJA!" Mills finished declaring.

Greninja didn't take his eyes off him. Quinn gulped.

"And introducing next, to my right," announced Mills, "He comes to us from the Wuhu Islands,"

Quinn frowned, Not the Mii Universe? Must be a presentation thing, Quinn deduced.

"He is QUINN!" finished Mills.

As soon as the cheers died down, and just as Quinn became comfortable enough to wave, Greninja grabbed Mills' wrist, "I also would like to defer le tirage au sort."

"You're deferring the coin toss?" Mills confirmed, his voice smooth and unflinching.

"Oui," nodded Greninja, wearing his signature sneer, "I have to prove to I can beat this petit enfant on the same battlefield where I was defeated by his sensei."

"I understand French, you know, "snapped Quinn, "You'll see how little this boy is when I shove this foot in your…."

"The rules are these," Mills demanded the stadium's attention in an uncharacteristic hiss, "Two stock, items medium. To reiterate, the stage is Wuhu Island. Smashers, are you ready?"

Quinn nodded, Greninja bore a hole in him with his piercing red eyes ever so.

And suddenly, they were surrounded by blackness, the rules materializing behind them.

Stage: Wuhu Island

Rules: 2-Stock, Items Medium

Music: Tetris (Type A)

Quinn watched Greninja disappear, no doubt to do some ninja nonsense upon Wuhu Island. As he heard Mills' voice call "Three, he materialized into Wuhu Island, barely cognizant enough to strike an exaggerated kung fu stance, Quinn breathed it all in, the warm blanket of the sun and the salty sea were all as he remembered it.

"Two," Mills called, no doubt in synch with the numbers flashing on the screens.

The two struck their true offensive stances.

"One," Mills called for the fortieth time, his voice ebbing with more dramatic flare.

"GO!" shouted Mills.

The two bolted for each other, Quinn closing the gap first with a high jumping kick. Greninja was knocked back but lazily floated back as Quinn set up the Brawler School signature move, the Exploding Kick. With no rebuttal from the Ninja Frog, Quinn unleashed the kick. Time seemed to slow as Greninja staggered back, a pondering look on his face as he shook the cobwebs.

"Hm," Greninja tutted, "You are certainly as strong as your master, if not stronger. But tell me pup, do you have the technique he had?"

Greninja bolted forward, only to run into a series of rapid-fire punches by Quinn. The final punch in the rapid-fire assault connected, and at that moment Greninja jutted around him. Haplessly, Quinn turned to face his opponent, only to have his red gi grabbed and thrown lazily, Quinn thought fast, readying a punch as he flew through the air, unleashing it just as Greninja began a flurry of blows.

"JA!" screamed the Pokemon in frustration.

Greninja jumped back up to the circular stage, only to be hit with another high jump kick from Quinn. Sighing, Quinn somersaulted backward, twisting through the air as a blue aura enveloped his body. Greninja landed on stage flawlessly, just as he expected, where he expected. Firing downward in a blue flame, Quinn kicked Greninja in the skull, bouncing off of his head as the Kalos Pokemon launched through the air. Landing on his feet, Quinn saw a Blue Shell in front of him. Scooping up the item, he flicked it into the air. Greninja rocketed back to earth, kicking Quinn in the shins, following that up with some rapid thrusts of his webbed fingers. But it was to no avail as the blue shell crashed into him, sending him to Blast Zone.

Greninja: 1

Quinn: 2

"WOW!" 9-Volt shrieked, "Quinn barely took a hit! Is he better than his teacher?"

Cranky laughed, "I don't know about that, but I know two absolute truths. There are some very upset bookies, and some very some people with some betting tickets that are very excited right now."

Quinn sunk into a 3-point stance, stretching his right ankle as Greninja hopped down from the Revival Platform. At that moment a Warp Star appeared behind Greninja who stood in wait on the top platform. Quinn charged past Greninja, getting kicked in the back so hard his entire body seemed to seize. Quinn immediately rolled to his feet, touching the Warp Star. Then, suddenly, he was atop the celestial racer, zooming into the air in a manic zig-zag, only to land in a fart of an explosion in the same place he had begun. Greninja hissed, blasting towards Quinn, the frustrated frog leaving himself wide open for a Suplex. Driving his head into the ground, Quinn spread his arms wide to attempt another, but Greninja rolled away. As a Smash Ball appeared, the two began to duck and weave around each other's strikes, Quinn getting the final word, knocking both his opponent and the item they sought into the air. Greninja kicked it, leaping it off of it as if it were a lump of hot coal as the power became his.

Quinn felt a spike of pain but smirked as soon as his vision centered. He was wide open.

"SUPLEX!" Quinn announced.

The frog Pokemon cursed something fierce in French, but the crack to the metal floor only spurred more, as the Smash Ball rematerialized, flopping to his left. Out of some animal instinct, Quinn turned, jabbing at the all-powerful ball.

Greninja kicked his open back, sinking him to his knees.

That was a mistake, Quinn groaned inwardly.

Jumping off of his prone head, only this time spin kicking both him and the Ball of Stage, Quinn closed his eyes, ready to be sucked into the Blast Zone, only for the platform, which had dropped them at the Sea-Do start line, to reappear, listing him to safety.

Quinn scurried for the Smash Ball, which dropped on the top platform, but Greninja, who had been tracking it dutifully, broke it first.

Greninja kicked him away, Quinn sucked in his chest, flying forward for a Suplex. Time slowed to nothing as the trap board appeared, and Greninja kicked the board up. The Mii Fighter coughed in shock, choking back vomit. Had he been an inch closer, that trap board would have activated Greninja's Final Smash. The world seemed to flow normally now, Quinn tense, Greninja furious. The two charged, Quinn jumping and twisting to get into position for another Soaring Axe Kick, his eyes widened as Greninja disappeared into a puff of smoke, chopping him in the neck as he reappeared. Again, the two Smashers charged, wailing one another with punches. Quinn blocked a kick, throwing Greninja to the ground just as the platform made its next stop, the mouth of Wuhu's volcano, Maka Wuhu. Greninja smirked evilly as an Assist Trophy landed on his platform, while a Bomber appeared on Quinn's. In a flash, Greninja had freed the Assist Trophy, this time The Black Knight, lumbering towards the prone Brawler.

Gotta time this just right, Quinn thought, slowing his breath.

Greninja followed the intimidating knight as they both journeyed toward his platform. Quinn only smirked, holding the Bomber aloft. Meanwhile, The Black Knight landed next to him, hammering him with a mighty swing of his blessed sword…

Which did nothing.

As Greninja's eyes widened in fury, the Bomber exploded, taking Greninja to the Blast Zone.

GAME!

Now, Quinn was on the Blast Zone. Cartwheeling partially out of Brawler School form, and partially out of childish excitement, Quinn unleashed a spinning kick and then stood on one foot in a straight kick as the splash screen announced the result.

QUINN WINS!

Greninja begrudgingly clapped, his expression mired in deep thought as he did. Mister Zero appeared beside the ninja, and now, the floor belonged to them.

"Greninja. You seemed to underestimate Quinn there, your thoughts?"

"Oui," hissed Greninja, "I did underestimate him. He is definitely on Monsieur Hart's level if he has not surpassed him already. I look forward to seeing him fight Monsieur Sans, to see how well he will contend with that madness. Either way, I must bid you adieu." Greninja bowed to Mister Zero, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Now, Quinn was being interviewed by Rita, the winning Smasher slumped against the wall of Tunnel B, mouth agape.

"Wow, what a win! This might be the biggest upset of the tournament! What would you say the secret to your success is?"

"I mean," Quinn wheezed, "Keep training. Always study. You'll learn a lot like I learned about the Bomber's super armor. But you'll never know everything there is to know, that's why you gotta keep training! Goddamn, I feel like a million dollars!" Quinn shouted, bolting up the tunnel.

Quinn burst through the door to Tunnel B, only to find the entire Box clapping for him, something that not even the most beloved Smashers had gotten. Ryuji pushed through the crowd hugging him tight, "BRO!"

"What?" Quinn barked.

"I put my share of Joker's purse on you, and I'll be able to pay for uni for my fuckin' grandkids bro."

Makoto pulled him back into the crowd by the ear. Quinn's chuckle over the situation was met in duplicate by Little Mac who shoved his way through the crowd.

"Look at us kid," he said, "The two average joes advance to the next minted millionaires."

Practically levitating over Mac, Rosalina hugged him close before Quinn could say anything in retort.

There it was again, Quinn pondered, that feeling of someone else controlling your legs.

But this wasn't fear. He felt like he could take flight. He could have sworn he heard bluebirds sing as Rosalina practically dragged him back to a seat.

"Kid," Sans piped in, teleporting to him, "I'm glad it's you I have to fight. Like, I'm proud of you and stuff, but it'll be a fun fight."

"Yeah…" breathed Quinn.

Sans laughed, "You remind me of me when I first met Toriel. Sorry kiddo, I'll leave ya be,"

With that, Sans teleported away with a cartoonish 'pop.' Just then, the randomizer piped up again, the electric guitar shredding sound indicating the rotation through the remaining matches until it landed on.

"PIKACHU VERSUS LUIGI!" bellowed Cranky and Volt.

Luigi gulped, his skin paling even further at the sight of the match screen, Pikachu flaring electricity on his cheeks, and Luigi dropping into an odd planking position. Daisy immediately grabbed Luigi by the cheeks, pulling his gaze towards her. She pressed her forehead into Luigi's.

"Mario's out, the Year of Luigi is now," she shouted.

Luigi's shivering, unsure appearance disappeared in an instant, his face and eyebrows furrowed in determinations.

"Bro, you're in Tunnel…" Mario began to announce as Luigi walked towards the front of the room.

"Got it bro," snapped Luigi, marching down Tunnel B.

Pikachu simply shrugged, scampering off of Samus' shoulder and into Tunnel A.